


Hope Diamond

by Milana16



Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, Kind of Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, also, and mortals hopelessly in love with them Ken and Mamo, borrowing Sound Horizon's characters as ocs, growth fits fantasy so well oh my god, happy ending bc yes, liberal use of the word jewel for uncut minerals, living stones, supernaturals Ryo and Kou, yes I'm once again borrowing the title of the song that inspired the piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24322252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milana16/pseuds/Milana16
Summary: He is born as the most beautiful thing earth has ever made, and as such, it's not a wonder he's first found by the child of pure heart.A story of a living jewel and its fated human.Happy birthday Kou-kun!
Relationships: Etou Kouki/Fujimura Mamoru, Sakuraba Ryouta/Yaegashi Kensuke
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Hope Diamond

**Author's Note:**

> I find it borderline offensive how little fantasy AUs there are in the Tsukipro fandom, considering we have Growth songs, aka 'every song is a new journey' in it as well. As such, I'm heading out to try and fix this even a little bit. Hopefully.  
> Also, since it's still 22nd in my timezone, happy birthday, Kou-kun!

He comes to existence as the most beautiful thing Earth has ever managed to give birth to.

That’s not his pride speaking, it’s just reality. As a result, Queen Michelle takes him under her wing, lovingly polishing his beauty, passing the sadness that comes together with it into his heart.

‘People are cruel, sweetheart.’ she says, brushing hair from his forehead. ‘They will twist our beauty, and before long, it becomes a curse rather than a blessing.’

‘Are all of them like that?’ he asks naively. She’s older, bigger, and more enigmatic than him, but also possess kindness and love, and he soaks in her gentle aura, even as the rumors and legends of her blood trail, of her curse spread.

‘No, honey. Not all. Mother earth wouldn’t give us to cruel people. But those who first find us end up victims to other human’s cruelty. That’s why it’d be better if you’ll never be found.’

At the time he doesn’t understand. All of them are Jewel Spirits, living in the core of Earth, but Queen Michelle comes and goes, to where her jewel form is. He doesn’t do that just yet, he’s not crystallized enough just yet, according to others, even if in the same breath they will assure him he will be the most beautiful of them all. He doesn’t know why this has a meaning, beyond Queen’s words.

In all honesty, he’s curious. What is that human world like? Why Queen smiles when asked, but that smile is tinged with sadness? He wants to know.

But before he can do this, he needs to chose Virtue.

It’s tradition, other Spirits say. Even Queen chose one, regality, and it even seeped into her name.

He doesn’t even know what most of those mean, he argues, how is he supposed to choose one fitting him?

Do it by feeling- what do you want to become?

What indeed, he wonders. He discards most Virtues other propose to him- regality, like the Queen, beauty, charm- and continues to search. His talks with Queen has taught him that all Virtues seep into their jewel forms, and all of them eventually get twisted by human’s greed, like Queen’s Michelle regality, meaning grace and power to protect, getting turned into traits of ruthless tyrant, murdering anyone coming into contact with her.

So he browses, searches, until he notices one, light, breezy, soft, hard to even grasp, and latches to it, feeling as if his other half was fitted back into place.

‘You choose hope?’ Queen asks when they next meet and he nods proudly, expression dropping when she smiles that sad smile. ‘It’s a hard Virue, little one.’

‘But it’s bright. And it-’ he actually doesn’t know what it is. There’s a sense of vibration to the virtue, something going right through him and into his very core, and he doesn’t know how to even say it. Queen smile loses it’s sad tinge.

‘Melody.’ she says softly. ‘That feeling you feel is melody. Something people do to raise their spirits, to relieve their feelings, to cheer up or move others. Sometimes, yes, sometimes even give them hope. I see.’

She pats his cheek.

‘You will soon go to where your jewel grows. It will be boring, but it’s better than being found, remember that, okay?’

He remembers, and prepares himself.

As she warned, it’s boring, on material level. There’s nothing but ground around him and a bit of air in a cave just above, but it’s warm and comforting and quiet. Surrounded by the other Jewel Spirits fawning over him since he came to be, the silence is scary at first, but then he actually gets used to it, gets to love it. There’s time for his thoughts to drift loosely, for him to daydream as much as he wishes. And if he strains his ears, he can hear It, a comforting, constant vibration- a song?- that the earth all around him seems to be singing, with it’s pressure, shifting, molding and reshaping.

It’s in times it gets louder that he wonders, how does people live up there? Without that song?

He secretly wonders who will find him. Of course, he keeps Queen’s warnings in mind, and hopes for it to happen only when the world will be at peace and after people lose all envy towards each other, the envy that brings misfortune.

He returns to the earth core where other Jewel Spirits come and go, after what he is told is a decade in human time. Ever since then, he can come and go between the core and the place his jewel rests at, but is obliged to spend at least as much time near the stone as he is in the core.

He doesn’t mind.

Years pass, and he takes up the habit of Queen Michelle, who’s evenly spreading her time in shorter intervals. He spends year in the core, year near his jewel, wondering, daydreaming, testing how his presence affects earthy surroundings. Years turn into decades, decades into centuries.

With time, he notices the changes- there’s more air now, more empty space around him, more wetness as water gathers to form an underground river, slowly bringing even more air, as smaller minerals are washed away.

Then, the river moves away too, and he is left alone with an empty space that creates yet another song- when he refers to it back in the core, Queen will call it echo.

More years pass and echo starts happening without him trying to recreate vibrations- speech- and he spends hours, days, weeks listening to that new Song, wild and unbound, sometimes cheerful, sometimes sad, always in move. He figures out it’s the wind Queen Michelle told him about long time ago.

In general, he knows words for most of what is around him only thanks to her; other jewels seem to see it more important to focus on their insides in the core, on the colors and shines and earth. Queen is the only one who tells him about sensations, states, time, elements, people. He realizes that, despite her wishes for him to remain buried, she still prepares him to be found and taken away from their mother earth.

And she is right, he is found.

The human is smaller than him, much smaller, and he assigns it a label- a child. There’s a sense of weirdness though, for it doesn’t focus on his jewel self, but on him, the Spirit. His eyes and hair are bright shade of burgundy that reassures him, for Michelle bore similar colors in herself. They continue staring at each other for a long while. Finally, he tilts his head, and the child startles with a yelp.

‘Who are you?’ he asks and the child yelps again.

‘Y-Y-You’re alive?’ it asks. He nods, although he isn’t sure if that is correct description of his state.

Were Jewels alive?

‘S-sorry, you’re pretty and I didn’t think anybody would be down here and I was wondering what statue is doing down here but it would make no sense as well, right? Ahahaha...’ clearly embarrassed now, child shifts from leg to leg. ‘I’m Mamoru.’

‘Mamoru?’ he repeats, head still tilted. What a curious word...not unpleasant though.

‘Yeah! Fujimura Mamoru.’ the boy now looks excited. ‘And you are?’

‘I’m...’ he wonders for a bit, then slowly whispers. ‘Hoseki...’

‘Kouki?’ the boy mishears, before his face is split in wide grin. ‘That’s such a fitting name!’

‘It is?’ he asks, trying the word on his tongue while the child nods eagerly.

‘Yeah! It’s light and shining, and gentle and sooo pretty!’

He nods slowly.

‘Alright then. I’m Kouki.’ he confirms to himself.

‘You weren’t before?’

‘We don’t have the names like yours, where I come from.’ he informs the child. Who tilts his head, before huffing as unruly locks fall into his eyes. It’s cute.

‘Fine then, Kou-kun! Stay with me?’ his smile look shaky. ‘I got lost.’

Kouki has no reason to say no.

*

Mamoru got lost wandering into a cave behind his village, and now couldn’t find exit, but somehow, could find Kouki’s resting place. It made very little sense, but then again, he doesn’t know that much about outside, so maybe not.

He says he followed the song, and it’s only after a moment Kouki realizes the boy means his tries at replicating what he hears from around himself. When he asks what it sounded like, child thinks only for a moment.

‘Life!’

‘Life?’

‘Life.’ Mamoru nods with air of finality. His face drops. ‘Mom and dad used to say it’s heavy and sad, but also beautiful and lovely. I don’t know what those really mean, but I think it’s that.’

‘Where are your mom and dad now?’ Kouki asks, and Mamoru’s mood drops even more. He looks up, but they’re under ground. He still points to the ceiling.

‘In the sky. That’s what my caretakers say.’ He lowers his hand and wipes at his eyes. For some reason, Kouki knows those are „tears”. ‘What about yours?’

‘I don’t have them.’ Kouki answers casually. It was true, jewels were created, not born. Though some of them called earth surrounding them mother. He wonder if he should share that part of himself with the child, but upon noticing small smile on Mamoru’s face, he decides against it.

‘We’re similar then.’ he says. Kouki agrees.

*

He somehow manages to get Mamoru to explain what „exit” would be like, and, following his suggestions of „clean air, warm, light”, manages to more or less locate something that might be it. Mamoru looks excited when he tells him that, then confused as Kouki doesn’t rise to follow him.

‘You’re not going?’

‘I can’t go all way.’ Kouki explains, slowly standing up. They walk to where the cave thins out into corridor, and he feels familiar barrier. Raising his hand, he presses against it. ‘See?’

‘But...aren’t you getting hungry? Or thirsty? Or cold?’

Kouki doesn’t know what most of those are. They spend some more time with Mamoru explaining. Kouki finds himself intrigued by the concept of food.

‘And you can make it sweet or salt or bitter or sour or bad or yummy or everything and nothing of those!’ the child explains, his eyes shining. ‘Like that music!’

Kouki blinks and smiles.

‘I’m just listening to what’s around, I’m not making it. One day, I’d like to try making that „food” though.’

Mamoru beams at him. and extends his tiny finger.

‘Promise you’ll let me taste it!’

Kouki looks curiously at the extended finger until Mamoru huffs and pulls at his hand.

‘Twine your finger...around mine... right, like that!’

Kouki looks even more curiously at his finger wrapped around tiny digit of the child.

‘That’s a promise?’

‘Yep! Pinky promise!’ Mamoru beams and Kouki all of sudden hears a completely new sound, sound of his own heart filling with light and happiness.

And then, somewhere still far from where they were, but in the direction he wanted Mamoru to go, he hears faint echo of worried human calls. There’s no way Mamoru, not attuned to the earth like he is, will hear them, but they make it easier for him to untangle their fingers and push the child in that direction. Heart of earth wasn’t a place for human children anyway, he tries to convince himself with a spark of disappointment when Mamoru’s back ends up behind the invisible barrier he cannot cross. He still smiles at his new... perhaps that was what Michelle called „friend”? when the boy turns questioning glance at him.

‘You should go that way, there are people there.’ Mamoru’s eyes light up.

‘Okay!’ He skips a few steps before stopping and turning back. ‘Will I... see you again?’

Kouki tilts his head.

‘I don’t know.’ when child’s expression changes to a „sad”, he adds. ‘But you need to try my food right? We promised.’

‘We did.’ Mamoru’s eyes shine with the smile his lips stretch into. He waves his hand even as he walks away, calling to Kouki that this is what people call a gesture of friendly goodbye. Kouki finds it silly, but waves back.

When Mamoru disappears behind the stone formation, and then echoes of people’s voices echo with lightness, he returns to his place by the jewel, and starts recounting how much he’s learned just during his time with Mamoru. So that was what „Sadness”, „Excitement”, „Happiness”, „Relief” meant. Kouki looks at his jewel form. Later, he’ll realize Mamoru didn’t even notice it, but for now, he wonders what was this hollow feeling in his chest.

He pieces it together with memory of Mamoru’s glassy eyes looking up at the ceiling, as he talks about his parents. Oh.

That was probably loneliness.

*

When he announces to Queen he has been found for the first time, she’s shocked and bombards him with worried questions. Was he seen, is he alright, in one piece? Then about the one discovering him- who was it? Did they touch his current form? Did they even see his Spirit?

She calms down considerably when Kouki tells her that it was a child that has found him, and that he didn’t even touch his jewel. She’s baffled, though, when he tells her about how they spent time just talking about everything and more. Then, she sighs.

‘I’m glad, little one, that your first contact with people was this kind, but don’t expect all of them to be this good, alright? You cannot lose your Virtue after you’ve met with disappointment.’

‘Alright.’ he says in the silence spreading between them, and she smiles with „relief”. ‘But I have a request.’

‘What it is, little one?’

‘Call me Kouki.’ When she looks at him not understanding, he repeats. ‘My name is Kouki. We decided on it, with Mamoru.’

‘Kouki.’ Michelle says, tasting the name. Then she smiles. ‘It fits you, little one of Hope.’

*

As Queen has said, he doesn’t expect every meeting he has with humans to go as well as the one with Mamoru, and that’s what saves him from despair, because the one who takes him out of the earth’s warm embrace is not by any means good. He’s a greedy man, and gives Kouki’s jewel form to an even more greedy man, before deciding he wasn’t given enough money for him.

That’s the first blood that is shed in Kouki’s name, or rather, for Kouki’s jewel.

He returns to the core as soon as the first droplets splatter his stone, but Queen is able to see what happened in his eyes.

‘I’m so sorry, Kouki, sweetie.’ she cuddles him, all the time she can, before he needs to go back to where his jewel is.

Turns out, it changed hands yet again, his original finder drinking him away to some extravagant man, who offered the jewel to his sweetheart. Her heart is soft and gentle and reminds him of Mamoru, and all of sudden he’s scared what will happen to her because of him, but. He clings to his Virtue, to the hope. She seems to feel it, for she donates his stone, now polished and framed in delicate gold, to the order taking care of homeless. The man leading the order is the first person that see his other form, the one not his jewel. He talks to him, but contrary to Mamoru, cannot even touch Kouki, his hand falling through Kouki’s palm. He doesn’t seem bothered by it, instead telling Kouki his plans on what will happen to his jewel.

‘You will become hope to all the people living in here. We will exchange you for food, fabric, medicine. Nobody will need to be hungry, or cold, or sick anymore.’ he laughs, a warm deep sound. ‘Though those don’t concern a Jewel Spirit, do they?’

Kouki confirms the man’s suspicions, he’s never, through centuries of his existence, been „sick”. He still gives a request, a strange one, judging by the man’s expression.

‘I want to see how preparing food is done.’

His request is fulfilled nonetheless, the head of the order a kind man, and Kouki sees the place called „kitchen” for the first time. He loves it here.

The next morning, the supplies order requested in return for himself arrive, and he is given away to the messenger.

‘This is our Hope Diamond.’ head of the order winks discretely in his direction and Kouki blinks back. ‘May he bring your master just as much happiness as he brought us hope.’

He doesn’t.

The master barely has time to see his jewel, before it’s stolen by one of the servants, the man being killed by the one ordering him theft.

Kouki closes eyes when the blood splatters the jewel again. He cannot run away to the  
core again this time, he’s been with his jewel for too short, and so, he’s a witness to the blood trail the greed caused by his exquisiteness brings to his new, legal or not, young or old, male or female owners alike. Within three years, over twenty people have lost lives, have been injured or unjustly accused of some kind of crime, all because of him.

He returns to the core utterly exhausted by the bloodshed, finally understanding all teachings the Queen put into his head, all the tears she cried out in front of him. The „Hope” in the name given to him by the order’s head have become irony, a sarcasm each passer selling him to a new master uttered. „I hope the Hope Diamond won’t kill you.”

He hates it. It’s not him killing people, it’s the people killing people. But then again if he didn’t exist...if he never has been found...

At this point his thoughts always abruptly stop, the memory of burgundy and a wide smile washing away the despair, giving place to something much lighter, much brighter.

Over the years, his Virtue took shape in his mind, a shape of a mess of burgundy hair and bright shining eyes and smile so wide it almost split the face of its owner as Kouki reminds the child of the promise of letting it try his food.

It doesn’t change the bloodshed or his fame, but it lets him not succumb to despair, just as he promised to the queen, even as he needs to return back to where his jewel is.

Currently clutched in the smelly fist of a thief, who in turn is being held still with the short dagger near his throat, his attacker behind his back.

Attacker whose eyes widen as he meets Kouki’s eyes, before small excited sparks start dancing in his eyes (they’re green, he notes with slight disappointment).

‘Put down what you’ve stolen.’ he orders very calmly, and when the thief makes an unnecessary move, presses the edge of the dagger closer to his skin. ‘I know you have exquisite jewel not belonging to you with yourself. Those things bring misfortune when in wrong hands, you know?’

There’s a snort behind the two men and Kouki looks away straight into deep crimson.

There’s other Jewel Spirit here? But how... and who?

The thief finally flings his diamond form away and pushes at his attacker before running in the opposite direction. He stops only at the end of the alleyway they are in, to turn and curse the other human.

‘I hope Hope Diamond kills you brutally!’

Kouki flinches. Why was he excavated before emotions like this disappeared from people?

‘I honestly doubt it.’ the man speaks casually, sheathing his weapon and dusting off his clothes before approaching Kouki. Not his jewel form, but Kouki himself. ‘Will you?’

He asks that with an amused smile, but Kouki shakes his head vehemently either way. The man- he’s pretty young, but he probably already could be called that- laughs.

‘Thought so, Ryo’s eyes are pretty good!’

‘Just pretty?’ asks the other Jewel Spirit, slowly approaching them. Human grins at him.

‘Okay, okay, very. Very good.’ he then turns back to Kouki. ‘I’m going to pick you up now, name’s Yaegashi Kensuke by the way.’

With that, he really moves into the direction where his stone was flung, leaving two Jewel Spirits looking after him.

‘Just call him Ken. Everybody does.’ advises the other Spirit. ‘And you are? You, not the jewel people pretend to know.’

Kouki hesitates at the clarification, but only for a moment.

‘I’m Kouki. The diamond.’ he smiles bitterly. ‘Once called a Hope Diamond unironically.’

His speaker nods with sympathy, his silver hair swaying with the movement.

‘I’m Ryota. Sakuraba Ryota.’ he looks to where Ken was jogging back to them. ‘The Sakuraba is something this guy thought of.’

‘I... see?’ Kouki says, then asks the most pressing him question. ‘Why I don’t remember you from the core?’

Kensuke frowns, but Ryota nods in understanding.

‘Perhaps because you are from the earth’s core, while I’m from the sea’s core. Ken, show Kouki me.’

As weird as that sentence sounded, Kensuke seemed to understand, for he reached under his tunic, at the same time looking quickly around. Noticing no eyes on them (or him, really, nobody would be able to notice his speakers) he pulls out what looks to be an incredibly beautiful pendant in the shape of silver tear formed from thin threads of the metal. In the middle of it, a pearl the size of small walnut and the milky pink color with hues of silver sat, it’s perfect roundness only emphasised by the surrounding metal.

‘I was called the Dragon Pearl before, hence „Ryota”.’ Pearl spirit says, looking at Kouki appreciating the pendant in human’s hand. ‘Ken was the one to find me. Unfortunately.’

‘Oi!’ Ken exclaims, closing his hand over the pendant and carefully hiding it away under his clothes. Kouki notices care and fondness in his moves. ‘It’s not my fault you cannot move without somebody carrying your jewel and me having a lot on my plate most of the time! We still get to go out like that, right?’

Ryota rolls his eyes, but doesn’t argue, and Kouki realizes he didn’t really meant the accusation against the human in the first place.

‘So? Who found you first?’ Kensuke changes his focus back to him. ‘Because I’m sure it wasn’t this guy just now.’

‘No, he wasn’t.’ Kouki shakes his head. Then hesitates; can he trust those two?

Ryota instantly understands his hesitation.

‘Ken just want to return you to the person best to you.’ he explains softly. ‘If they’re alive...’

‘He is.’ Kouki assures vehemently, both his newly met friends-?- and himself. ‘He has to be.’

‘I see?’ Kensuke tilts his head. ‘So you don’t want us to know him?’

Kouki slowly shakes his head.

‘That’s... not entirely right.’ He can sense complete satisfaction from Kensuke, something that makes him sure the man won’t do anything out of greed, as long as the pearl that is Ryota rests on his chest. ‘I... don’t know him anymore, probably. He was child when we first met. He left me where I was created though.’

He explains quickly as Ryota’s eyes widen. Pearl spirit huffs.

‘What kind of dumb luck has led him to you?’

‘He got lost in the caves then heard me sing.’ it’s embarrassing when he actually has to explain it, but Ryota tilts his head curiously, and seconds later Ken exclaims.

‘So Ryo isn’t the only one to do this!’

Pearl spirit blushes before shoving his jewel’s owner. Kensuke just laughs.

Kouki feels strange tightening in his chest. Looking through his vocabulary, he decides it’s „yearning”. He wants to have the same relationship the two in front of him have. He smiles sadly.

Ryota once again notices and interprets his expression correctly. He might be second spirit after Queen herself to actually read Kouki so easily.

‘Come with us, Kouki.’ he asks softly. ‘Until that man, that Mamoru, doesn’t show up, let Ken protect you.’

He throws his head back, blush still faint on his cheeks.

‘He’s failed few times since he’s found me first, but-’ he smiles at the man currently looking at him with expression akin to a kicked puppy. ‘-he’s good at reclaiming.’

‘I haven’t lost you since that one burglar three years ago!’ Ken protests, and something, like pain, flashes through Ryota’s eyes, when he answers.

‘Never do something as stupid as that again. But yes, you haven’t lost me since then.’

‘Ryo.’

‘So, come with us? Kouki?’ he turns back to the diamond spirit. Who hesitates.

‘People keep coming after me.’ he finally settles on. He doesn’t want to destroy the peace, if that’s what the other two has managed to achieve for the past three years.

Much to his surprise, Ken snorts.

‘That’s not a problem. I have some experience with diffusing those, thanks to this guy.’ he says, carelessly pointing to Ryota. Who huffs, but doesn’t disagree.

Kouki realizes the tight feelings in his chest gives place to something much lighter, and much more familiar to him.

His Virtue, hope.

‘So, you going with us? Even if you say no I need to drop you off somewhere safe so this is kind of mean question, but-’

‘I’d love to.’ Kouki interrupts, and Kensuke blinks.

‘What, be dropped off or-’

‘Go with you.’ Kouki smiles shyly. Something about the human and other spirit makes him feel hopeful, and that is all he needs to know to make a decision.

Ryota smiles and something in Ken’s expression tells him that’s a rather rare and very happy thing.

‘Glad you’ve said that.’

*

Turns out Ken and Ryota didn’t tell him one thing- Kensuke is a prince.

When he draws that conclusion, the man in question waves his hand in a dismissive way.

‘I wouldn’t even call it a princedom, we’re ruling the city and a bit of fields outside of it.’ he points to the white stone, standing by the road they ride on, Kouki taking seat behind Ryota on his horse. ‘See, that’s the border of our domain. But, just because it’s small doesn’t mean it’s bad. And it has some cool things to offer.’

‘Cool?’ Kouki blinks and Ken grins.

‘You’ll see.’

Even though he can’t see his face, Kouki is sure Ryota just rolled his eyes. Pearl spirit doesn’t ruin human’s fun though, at least not until they cross the archway under which the until now forest road spread into a cobblestone artery of the city.

‘Look at the arch behind us, Kou.’ Ryota advises, and Kouki does as suggested.

It’s a nice building, he concludes, from white stone, with some decorative writing made from coral on upper part of it.

Just then, somebody notices them.

‘Ah, Kensuke-sama, you’re back from your walk with Ryota-sama and-’ the speaker notices both Jewel Spirits, Kouki realizes with surprise.

‘This is Kouki, Mimono-san.’ Ken introduces him with a grin, glad that his surprise succeeded. ‘We’re safekeeping him with Ryo, until man suitable for his jewel doesn’t appear.’

‘Ah. He’s like Ryota-sama.’ the elderly woman nods with understanding, smiling reassuringly at a golden haired spirit. Then she frowns at the prince. ‘You haven’t told him.’

‘He didn’t.’ Ryota speaks up before Kensuke can excuse himself, then turns slightly so that his face was at least sideways to Kouki. ‘The archway is imbued with charm that makes us visible to people in town. Both our forms.’

‘That writing?’ Kouki clarifies, and Ryota nods.

‘It makes life a bit easier.’ he says with a small smile while the woman scolds her prince good naturedly. ‘People here are used to us, so they have harder time stealing and killing for us, because we will be the witnesses of each such event, and they will know it.’

‘I see.’ Kouki just answers, a bit too bemused to create a more eloquent reply. Ryota seems to understand, though, and leaves him alone for the rest of the way to the palace.

*

Kensuke’s father starts by scolding his son for leaving without telling anyone, though Kouki has an unnerving feeling he does that only because Kensuke’s mother is looking disapprovingly at her son- king has little twinkles in his eyes, and as soon as Kensuke half-assedly apologizes for worrying his parents, asks his son about his adventures.

Kouki gets brought up soon, and he feels a wave of anxiety wash over him when Kensuke hands his jewel form to his parent, for he notices a flash of greed in both royals’ eyes. They still address him.

‘How do you want to be called?’

‘Kouki.’ he answers softly. ‘Just Kouki.’

‘We can’t have that.’ the king frowns, watching as his jewel reflects the light in a deep, deep red reflexes, so unusual for a jewel as blue as Kouki’s eyes. ‘Such a wonderful gem going by one name only?’

‘People call it Hope Diamond.’ Kouki says as if he wasn’t part of the stone.

The king drops the pendant his jewel is imbued into.

‘That’s a Hope Diamond?!’ the Queen seems shocked, staring at the deep blue of the jewel. Kouki nods.

‘I am.’ he decided to embrace the name, even if it currently brings nothing but fear.

‘The man who excavated Kou wasn’t the one who actually found him.’ Kensuke rushes to explain, as his parents expression start to mix fear and distrust. ‘You’ve always told me that those cases for Spirit Jewels mean they can bring misfortune even unconsciously, if dealt with incorrectly.’

‘That’s true.’ the king seems to be calculating something now, eyes running between the jewel and its’ Spirit.

‘We know who found Kouki.’ Ryota speaks up. ‘Well, at least his name.’

‘Right, right.’ Kensuke picks up. ‘I want to keep Kou here so that he doesn’t get in the wrong hands by accident, at least until that Mamoru guy won’t show up.’

‘Mamoru?’ the king frowns. ‘That doesn’t sound too royal.’

Ryota besides him rolls his eyes, as Kensuke explains Kouki’s situation- he told the pair his full story on the way to the city, and in return got to know the story of Kensuke’s quest for Ryota’s pearl.

‘Ken’s parents are of opinion only aristocratic blood is fit to partner with a Jewel Spirit.’ he whispers to Kouki.

‘I don’t think Mamoru was of noble blood or anything like that, though.’ Kouki whispers back. ‘But he was...’

He recalls shining eyes, cheerful voice and contagious smile.

‘It doesn’t matter what others think, Kou.’ Ryota says, as if once again reading his fondness from his eyes. Pink irises slide for a moment to a younger royal. ‘If he’s fine for you, then that’s all that counts.’

*

In the end, Kensuke persuades his parents to let him take care of second jewel, and Kouki starts living with him and Ryota, quickly becoming way too fond of the two not to call them his friends, to the point he almost regrets having to leave to the core for regeneration. Thankfully, it coincided with Ryota’s return from the sea core and so, Ken joked about them switching places, pearl spirit instantly adding that they were doing so so that he doesn’t get into trouble with nobody to look out for him.

Queen notices visible change in his attitude as soon as they meet in the core. He tells her all about it, about the city where Jewel Spirits can coexist with their people, about the cheerful prince and his beloved pearl, makes her laugh with stories about his endeavors in learning cooking and all the mishaps that come with the absolute novice’s tries. In a way, he feels like he finally embraces his Virtue. Not alone though, he could never do it alone.

Also, it still is incomplete, Michelle carefully lets him know, but he isn’t this naive spirit surprised by human dark side anymore. He knows what he is lacking.

He just doesn’t know how to grasp it properly. He couldn’t move beyond certain distance from his jewel, and even if Ken’s made sure his escapades never stopped and that he had both the diamond and the pearl on himself, he could disappear from his city only for this long. Kouki didn’t even want him to risk longer excursions, fully aware that out of the three of them, it was Kensuke who was most prone to injury.

‘What about polishing what led to your meeting in the first place?’ Michelle offers a suggestion on the day he returns to his jewel.

‘What led to our meeting?’ Kouki thinks. He doesn’t need too ponder to long though, the memory well cherished.

And so, on top of cooking, he learns to sing, or rather, polishes what he naturally knows, together with Ryota and Kensuke, when his duties allow him to join them.

With time, Kensuke’s parents start their own plan on helping him find a human suitable for his jewel. Kouki is sure they do it out of good will, but their approach is... peculiar. It involves calling for all nobles and royals they can get in contact with to come, most of them seeing the Jewel Spirit for the first time, all of them swayed by Hope Diamond’s beauty, and none of them Mamoru.

Of course, Kensuke, his official human guardian, is present at each and every of the meeting, helping to dissolve the tension when things go awry; most of the people are understanding when he explains his reasons for not choosing them as his jewel’s new human owner, but for those not relenting, there’s always Kensuke’s cheerful humor, and, as a final defense, Ryota’s incredibly sharp tongue.

It’s after one of such hard meetings that he gets his surname.

‘We protect you, and the guy you wait for has wisteria in their name, right?’ Kensuke says, holding his jewel up to let it shine with purplish hues in the afternoon sun. Kouki nods, to tired to verbally answer.

‘Then, let’s name you Etou.’ Ken ponders for a while. ‘Etou Kouki, this has a nice ring to it, right? Plus, you’ll match with the guy. Damn it, should have think of something like that when I was giving Ryota-’

‘I like Sakuraba, thank you very much.’ Ryota cuts in, faint blush on his cheeks, and Kouki laughs good naturedly. For all his snappiness, Ryota treasures everything Kensuke does for him, no wonder he’s protective of the very first thing he received from him, the name.

‘I like it.’ he says to diffuse the atmosphere. ‘With it, I have names from all the people dear to me.’

Kensuke covers his face, much to Ryota’s amusement.

‘Why are you like this all the time?!’ Prince complains with a whine, and Ryota snorts. Kouki just blinks.

‘Like what?’

‘He’s been like that from the start, you just didn’t notice at first.’ Ryota answers the human, then turns to Kouki. ‘Don’t worry Kou, it’s nothing bad.’

He hopes so.

*

He’s reunited with Mamoru in the weirdest turn of events possible.

For some reason, Kensuke’s presence is required at every small trial regarding crime on the palace grounds. As such, Ryota and Kouki are present on those as well, Jewel Spirits considered good judges of character and charms against lies and falsifications. While it’s true Ryota is very good at reading through people’s lies, Kouki feels mostly sorry for all parties involved, because crime almost always have a very sad air to it for him. Still, they perform their duties, hidden behind the curtain hanging just behind the thrones of the royals, observing while not being observed themselves.

This day crime is supposed to regard them, as the man Kensuke is supposed to judge is accused of trespassing the gardens, ragged clothes suggesting he’s there to steal. Kensuke orders the man in, and the guards lead the culprit in, and Kouki’s breath audibly hitches.

The man has the same burgundy hair and eyes the child that has first found him all the years ago had.

On top of that, the air around him wasn’t sad, but confused as if the man believed all of this was just a one big mistake he can explain.

And explain he does. He’s a wandering bard, currently in search of new inspiration; he’s heard the view from the royal gardens is stunning, so he came, hoping for his inspiration to spike with the beautiful view in front of him. The view obviously mesmerized him -Kouki could relate- and he stumbled into parts of gardens forbidden to visitors and got lost. Searching for the way out, he stumbled on the patrolling guards who did lead him out of the gardens, but instead of the outside, they led him inside the palace.

The story was absurd and too naive to be alibi but specifically because of that, Kouki believed it. With each word, he puts the man’s tone near his memories of the childish voice, trying to figure out if it’s just his yearning to meet Mamoru playing tricks on him, or if it really was possible for that childish squeaks to develop into this warm and soothing voice.

Ken seems to realize what he is going through, or maybe he just checks the man’s alibi, for he requests a song. Any song, really, but preferably something the man created.

And the bard does as requested, picking up the lute returned to him and starting only a few seconds after, and Kouki starts shaking.

He knows the melody. The raise and fall of the cadence, the tone, slightly melancholic but light.

It was his song, the same song he created basing it on the song of the earth around him.

‘Kou?’ Ryota whispers, but Kouki shakes his head. Then slides out from behind the curtain, and opens his mouth.

To his credit, even when a new voice joins his lute, Mamoru doesn’t stop playing, even as his head snaps up, and stares, mouth agape, on the person appearing behind Kensuke’s seat. His hands seem to move on autopilot, as his expression blanks, eyes stuck to Kouki’s face. It’s only when the last notes disappear he starts stuttering various „hows” and „whats” and „no ways”. Kensuke looks between him and the smiling Jewel Spirit, before grinning.

‘I feel that at this point it’s a pointless pleasantry, but. Your name, mr bard?’

He continues to stutter, until Kouki doesn’t speak up, happiness and amusement in his voice.

‘Mamoru.’

‘Y-Yessir! Kou-kun! Ah, Kouki! I’m Fujimura Mamoru, sir!’

‘Yep, pointless pleasantry.’ Kensuke says with a wide grin. ‘Kou, I guess I’m passing your original discoverer to you.’

*

Turns out, even though Mamoru didn’t realize he was a Jewel Spirit, he still fell in love, and ended up travelling the world in search of him, the melody of their first meeting the only clue. He was shocked to see Kouki, practically unchanged despite almost two decades passing between their meetings, but he gets over it as soon as his excitement settles in. They talk and talk and talk for hours, other human-spirit pair joining in after a while, and Kouki feels as if his jewel was being filled with happiness to the brim.

Of course, Kensuke’s parents aren’t pleased with the fact Kouki chose a commoner, but they’re kind of powerless, when Mamoru passes trial upon trial, the final one being casually taking Kouki out for a walk and, without realizing it themselves but very visibly to their tail, leaving the city through under the archway that would cut off anybody not possessing the natural skill of seeing from Kouki’s spirit form. Of course that doesn’t satisfy the older royals, but even then, Kensuke, master of managing relationships between humans and spirits, find a way.

‘Sign it, Mamoru.’ he says one day, shoving the page under bard’s nose

‘What’s that?’ Mamoru, being Mamoru, asks that question only after leaving his signature on the paper, and Kensuke grins, while Ryota snorts.

‘Oh, don’t worry, just the contract employing you as my personal royal bard. Ryo likes your songs.’ Kensuka says and Mamoru chokes.

‘You like them too.’ Ryota points out as Kouki tries to help Mamoru by gently patting his back.

‘A what?’ he asks, once he wheezes some of the air back into his lungs. ‘I’m a wanderer!’

Kensuke waves his hand.

‘Yeah, included that in the contract.’ he points to the sheet. ‘As long as you spend half of the year on the court, you’re free to go wherever you please on the other half. The payment is, let’s see.’

‘Food, accommodation and clothes for the stay in, a horse, food and money for the start of the journey, and right to take the Hope Diamond wherever you please with its’ spirit’s consent.’ Ryota recites, and Kouki looks at him in surprise.

‘You planned it with Ken?’ he asks and Ryota stares at him unamused.

‘You think he would get the idea alone?’

‘Oi, Ryo!’

‘The position comes with the title, so that officially makes Mamoru part of nobility.’ Ryota continues, ignoring Ken’s outburst and measuring Mamoru up and down. ‘Weird nobility, but oh well, you work with what you get.’

‘I’m... sorry?’ Mamoru asks, still kind of shell shocked, and Ken grins, slapping his back hard.

‘Welcome to my world, Mamoru!’

‘Ken.’ Kouki speaks up. ‘You did that so that nobody denies Mamoru rights to myself?’

‘Well, maybe.’ Ken grins, though there are sparks of uncertainty in his eyes. ‘Shouldn’t I-Kou?!’

He never was impulsive, the patience a natural survival instinct imbued into him by the Queen. But now, now he wanted to be impulsive. So, he pulls, at the boy and now man that gave him hope in humanity, and then the man and friend who released him from the clutches of humanity’s darkness, and finally at the spirit that let him believe it’s possible to be happy after being found, and clutches, all three of them, close to himself.

‘Thank you. For everything.’

*

The next time he visits the core, he shortens his stay to the absolute minimum. Mamotu is about to go back on track, and Kouki decided to go with him. Still, he wants to be able to say goodbye to Ken and Ryota, hence his rush. Rest of Spirit Jewels don’t understand that, but he explains himself only to one of them.

‘The virtue wasn’t in me, after all, Michelle.’ he says, hugging her happily. ‘It was them, all this time, all three of them.’

Spirit of Red Diamond, Red Queen, Queen Michelle smiles.

‘It’s not true, little one.’ She says, using his pet name from long ago, from before he’s met Mamoru or Ryota or Kensuke. ‘It’s four.’

‘Four?’ he asks, and she smiles.

‘How can people be hopeful without their Hope Diamond? Now go back to them. And be happy.’

Kouki separates himself from her and smiles, even as he simultaneously hears the song being sung near his jewel.

‘I know I will.’

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I almost forgot to mention it, but Kouki's teacher, Queen Michelle, is actually fictional "cursed jewel" from Sound Horizon's stories (most notably mentioned in the album "Roman" and song "Norowareshi Hoseki", though long-time Laurants will tell you that her story starts in songs on much earlier albums), a red diamond that brought calamity upon those who came to possess her. In the SH universe, she is possesed by the spirit of female serial murderer, but let's be honest, people don't need spirits to posses them to do bad things. Good thing Mamoru is almost as pure as Kouki is!
> 
> Regarding Kouki, in this story, I took literally nothing from the real life Hope Diamond- aside of it's color, and the fact that people think it's cursed (irl Hope Diamond was believed to be thart because it can reflect ultrafiolet in a red glow that holds up for some time even after ultrafiolet is switched off, apparently, thankfully it has no recorded acquisitions by death, bu who knows...).  
> Lastly, while I'm fully aware Kouki's name isn't your regular name meaning light (though he have character for "radiance" in it!), I still get a light vibes from it, hence why Mamoru says what he says when he first meets Kouki and mishears him (Kouki means to say he's a jewel, though you probably already know it)


End file.
